The history of the woman of great faith Recorded by Saint Matthew, ch. 15. v. 22. &c. and by Saint Mark, ch. 7. 24. where three very strong encounters are beaten back by her vnmatchable faith. Treatised and expounded for some help to the weake in faith. By Robert Horn, a Minister of Iesus Christ.

Heard of him, came and fell at his feete.

THE further occasion of this conference was the same that went of Christ, which this woman receiued, not as matter of talke, or of ordinarie newes, but as a word of Gospell, or glad tidings, reflecting vpon her selfe, and her miserable young daugh∣ter. Therefore, she heard with faith, came in haste, & fell downe reuerently at Christs feet. For the first, which is her hearing of him; as it sheweth that, in Gods dispensation, there are fit meanes for the drawing of his elect vnto him, and that hearing is one: so it sheweth (also) that this wo∣man gaue her selfe into the hand of the meanes, for her comming to Christ: for, hauing heard; she came without delay, and wor∣shipped. The ready way to Christ is to heare of him with confi∣dence

in his saluation, and this way the woman took vnto him, hauing heard of him by the word of fame. For, shee had a surer word then this, in the winde of heauen that blew within, that is, she heard outwardly (as many els did, who were neuer the bet∣ter;) and she heard inwardly, as fewels did; and who (then) with such a Faith? she had a taste of the general promises of the word, and the spirit taught her the ap∣plication; but by both meanes she was brought to Christ. The meanes (here spoken of) is the report which shee heard, and so we see, that hearing is our rode to Christ, * 1.1 this woman (first) heard of Christ, and (then) came vnto him, and Christ himselfe, where he speaks of comming to him, saith: hee that commeth to me, and heareth my words; that is, he that, by way of hearing, co∣meth. Luc. 6.47. hearing (then) is the way; so, after that a certain

woman had said to Christ; bles∣sed is the wombe that bare thee, he answered, saying; rather bles∣sed are they that heare the word of God & keep it. Luc. 11.27 28. where hearing goes before kee∣ping, & they that wold keep, must heare. But doth Christ denie that his Mother was blessed for bea∣ring him of her bodie? I answer, he doth not: for, the word rather doth not implie an absolute de∣niall, but a comparison betweene lesse and more, as if he had said, I doe not say that she is not bles∣sed for bearing me on her bodie but I say, that she was more bles∣sed, and so are they that beare mee in the wombe of faith by good hearing: further, our Sa∣uiour proueth some Iewes not to be of God, by this reason, that they will not heare Gods word: for he saith, they that are of God, heare Gods Word: and contra∣rily, that they are not of God, that heare it not, Iohn 8.47.

A like argument is made by a fauourite of his, Saint Iohn, 1. Ioh. 4.6. and Salomon requireth in the house of God, and in those that come vnto it, a readinesse to heare, Eccles. 4.17. So doth Dauid, the father of Salomon: and further saith in effect, that they are shut vp in a hard heart, that put off the day of hearing it, Psal. 95.7. and the blessed Mo∣ther of Christ, (blessed for this,) laid vp the word in her heart, as in a safe Castle of keeping it, Luke 2.18, 19. this was the way to Christ in the old Testament, Deut. 4.1. & 5.1. Pro. 4.1. & 5 1. and is the way vnto him, in the new, Apoc. 2.7. 11. 17. 29. Matth. 13.9.18. * 1.2 There∣fore, God spake in the old Testa∣ment by his Prophets; and in the new, by his Sonne, Heb. 1.1. the reasons; When wee are cal∣led to Christ, it is by a speaking to vs, and the obiect of speech is, hearing, not sight, Deut. 4.12.

Secondly, there is no com∣ming to Christ but by faith, as there is no comming to a towne but by the way, Iohn 7.37, 38. but no faith, (I meane of ordi∣narie generation) without the word; and that word must haue a hearer, Rom. 10.17. Thirdly, none come to Christ but his sheepe: and no sheepe of his, that haue not his care∣marke: that is, who (as he saith himselfe) heare not his voice, Iohn 10.27.

The vse, * 1.3 for instruction, tea∣cheth that those among vs, come not to Christ, who decline the way, without which, there is no ordina••••e comming to him: the recusant Papist, and the bad Church-comming Protestant, who turne their faces, not toward the East, where the Sunne riseth vpon the Saints in holie assem∣blies, but toward the West, where it setteth in darke super∣stition, and in the night of ig∣norance,

are (both of them) out of their way to Christ: and (both of them) worse than the three kinds of bad ground, all which receiued the seed, Matth, 13.7. which they will not, or but when they list themselues. Some with Ieroboam thinke (whatsoeuer they say) that it is too farre to go to Ierusalem, or too much to come to Church, morning and after-noone: and therefore, (with that guide to idolatrie) make calues at home, of wanton impediments from Gods house: but, O that they considered in heart, that whiles they thus fol∣low the worlds way to vanitie, not the Church way to God, they are in a broad way to de∣struction, not in any way to Christ, and that God and they cannot meet in two so contra∣ry wayes: then they would bee where they might bee sure to meet him in the assemblie, * 1.4 & not where (if God should call them

away in such contempt) they are rather sure to misse of him in his saluation. And, now, as they that will not heare (and may) are in no way to Christ: so they are out of the rode to him, who neither haue, nor care to haue a Preacher, their leading starre to the Lord of life: for how can they heare without him? Rom. 10.14. And so (for a se∣cond instruction) wee inferre, that it is a great want to want a Preacher in a congregation: but some feele not the want, and some slight it some say no mat∣ter for this preaching: they may as well say, no mater for com∣ming to Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 some thinke they haue too much of it. But can we haue too much of Gods bles∣sing? and is not preaching a spe∣ciall blessing of God, the same in a Parish that the Sunne is in the heauens? and can wee spare the Sun? therefore to wish (as some) that preaching were gone, were

to wish wee had no Sun by day. But, to answere such, I say that the vse of a Preacher is more then of an Angell. I speake a great word now; but it is a true word. For, the Apostle, Rom. 10.14. makes it impossible (vnder∣stand impossible by an ordinary way) to be saued without a Prea∣cher; but not so without an An∣gel.

This woman heard, and came to Christ: and I doubt not but with haste, as the Shepherds did. Luc. 2.16. In the text there is no more but that, she heard and came. Now what she did for her selfe, and her daughter, that wee must do for our selues, when we know what is to be done (which we do by hearing) wee must not put off to d••e it. What the word commandeth must be heard with obedience, and be done present∣ly, this is the doctrine here, bi••∣ding to expedition in all Gods seruices. The Prophet saith, to

day; neither giuing nor taking a longer time. Psal 95.7. Ioel saith, now, and presently, speaking of a turning to God. Ioel. 2.12. Isaias also exhorts a differring people (such as wee are) to seek the Lord while he may be found; Esa. 55.6. implying, that they may seek, and not finde him: as when they seek in their day, not his, or as Esau sought him with late repentance. Hebr. 12.17. & he was a good man of God, who delayed not time, but made haste to keep Gods commandements. Psal. 119.60. In this way wee must runne, v 32. saluting none that may stay vs, as Christ said to the seuentie in a case of like haste. Luc. 10 4. Here, no acquaintance must stop our way, or vs, and we must be feruent in spirit, ser∣uing God. Rom. 12.11. For, they that are hote vpon a thing, will not be long in doing it. The rea∣sons, * 1.5 we shall not (then) lose our labour, for, our work is with the

Lord, who loueth a cheerefull, that is, present giuer. 2 Cor. 9.7. on the contrarie, and when wee come off so heauily; what thanks for what we grudgingly for go? 1 Cor. 9 17. a readie minde com∣mends the seruice: and if there be a willing minde, it is accep∣ted. 2 Cor. 8.12. Secondly, the edge of a good mood is soone turned, if it strike not vpon the present occasion; our metle is like yron: where if we strike not while it is hote, what working v∣pon it? and so what working of the minde to God, while we let it coole, by putting off to do ser∣uice? Yet a little sleepe, and yeta little slumber: and what will bee next, but deep securitie, and no awaking? Pro. 6.10.11. and so; not fit to day, vnfitter to mor∣row. Besides; there are many lets in our selues, and stoppes offered by others in our purposes of well-doing. The corruption of times, the baits of euill fellow∣ship,

the temptations of Satan, the course of this present world, lying wholly in wickednes, the custome of sinne, with the like rubbes to goodnes; all these offer to put shakles vpon our feete, when wee set them in the way of Gods commandements; if (then) wee giue them the start of the time against vs by the sinne of delay, what hope that cuer wee shall bee brought forward to any true purpose of amending our wayes, and our doings? Ier. 7.3. & 26.13. 3ly. occasion (which is bald behinde) and the seasons of time (once lost) are not in our power, more then a bird which we haue let flie: and there is no calling in of time, when it is farre out and gone: therefore wise men will, and Christians must redeem it by doing good while they may. Eph. 5.16. Gal. 6.10. He that obserues the wind, shall not sow. Eccles. 11.4. that is, he that puts off the seed time, for euery chāge

of weather or rising of windes, shall lose his hope, and so shall he, (and that of a better haruest) that obserues the winde of delay in things to be done presently.

The vse is for the reproofe of those, who, * 1.6 (hauing long heard of Christ) haue not (for all that) taken vp one foot toward him by repentance, in a new creature, rather who, like Antipodes to his saluation) goe contrary to him, not obseruing any thing that hee hath commanded, or his word teacheth. To such hee may say (as once to the obdurate Iewes;) yee will not come to Mee, that ye may liue: Ioh. 5 40. For as the bidden ghests in the Gospel, they absent themselues by carnall de∣layes. Luc. 14.18.19 20. or if they come, it shall bee when they can finde nothing els to do: & then, rather to catch, then to bee caught, as if they had lost their right eare with Malcus. Luc. 22.50. Their Adders care will not

be charmed with any perswasion to obedience. Psal. 58.4.5. they rather go to see then to heare. Matth. 11.8. and if they make any haste, they make no good speede. Peter and the other Dis∣ciple ranne to Christ, whom yet they thought to bee dead in the graue. Ioh. 20.4 and shall Chri∣stians make no haste (a signe of no good will) to him; whom they know to bee aliue in his word, and gloriously liuing in heauen? but, in such matters, men straine courtesie, their betters shall go before; in other matters, none shall haue the start of them, their betters or equals.

But, * 1.7 must there be no putting off in Gods scruices? then, our repentance (which is a seruice of God) must be speedy. And here, we must follow and do after the counsel that the Angell gaue to Lot: it was to flie, for his life. Gen. 19 17. it concernes vs more: for, not our bodily life, but life of

soule and body is that which wee must looke vnto in our flight to repentance; where, wee must make speede, and not put off to get an eiectione firmae against In∣truders vpon the Lords inheri∣tance in vs: that is, against sinne and Satan, the strong men that haue so long kept the palace. Luc. 11.21. we lose no opportu∣nitie when wee would graft, or sow, or stock vp, and shall wee lose those sweete opportunities of time which God hath giuen into our hands for the stocking vp of sinne, and the grafting of good things, which (after) may grow in vs to trees of righteous∣nes? shall wee not sow grace in the spring of youth, when the time is, but put off to the reape-time of sickenesse before death, when time shall bee no more? our Sauiour biddes vs to striue to enter, while the gate of heauen hath some (though a straite) pas∣sage; and is somewhat open,

though not wide-open. Luc. 13.24. and therefore not to tarie till it bee altogether shut vp with these words; depart ye workers of iniquitie. v. 27. let vs (then) with a speedy hand graft the word in our hearts, sow seeds of grace in our liues, and haue the instruments of stocking vp rea∣dy, that no root of bitternes spring vp to trouble vs. Hebr. 12.15. of ten virgins, fiue were cal∣led foolish for neglecting time. Matth 25.1.10.11. let vs (there∣fore) walke circumspectly as wise, not as those fooles, that knew not their time. Eph. 5.15. Coloss. 4.5.

The occasion of the confe∣rence, (that which was in the Woman her selfe) followeth in two things; as, in what she did, and what she said.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Doct. 1.
• * 1.2

  Reasons,
• * 1.3

  Vse 1.
• * 1.4

  Vse 2.
• * 1.5

  Reasons.
• * 1.6

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.7

  Vse 2.